Recent Three Custom Color Specialists Reviews

I reached out to 3 custom with a strange request: black lip stain (like a benetint sort of product). They offer a lip-and-cheek stain in several ready-to-wear colors, but custom colors are not advertised on their website. Still, when I e-mailed them they told me they could do it for their regular fee.

Their lip stains work like any other: translucent washes of color that stain the lips. But they come in a solid balmy form instead of a watery form like Benetint.

My custom black lip stain arrived in lipstick tubes, and applied like a sheer glossy black lipstick. When blotted down, it becomes a nice matte translucent wash of color that wears fairly well and doesn't settle into the lines of my lips. The staining power isn't as strong as a good-quality liquid lip stain, but it looks and wears better than any black stain I've tried to create by blotting down an ordinary black lipstick. More or less, it looks like Urban Decay Oil Slick but without all the shine.

I've turned to 3CC to make me new shades and to duplicate old ones. I've had much better luck with the new shades. Duplicating lipsticks and foundations have resulted in products that were close but not exact matches. So in other words, "off". And in each case, I've been very VERY specific about my orders, explicitly stating that my skin has warm undertones, etc. I've even re--sent a lipgloss for a re-do, but the second time was no better than the initial order.

So if you use their services, hold your breath until you get the product. It is very hit-or-miss.

I so prefer cream blushes and I was thrilled with the cream-to-powder formula of Chanel - but the colour choices were limiting for me (fair/neutral). This one fits the bill perfectly. It is a fantastic neutral (read: contains both warm and cool tones) which to me looks like a mauvey rose. Gives a very natural "out in the fresh air" flush. Best applied with a brush so it's even and it lasts longer than any blush, cream or powder, that I have ever used. It is buildable to look more intense but never clownish. The package is a simple round snap close container with a mirror.

I've actually had this lip and cheek stain for awhile and really enjoy it, so I'm not sure why I'm just now getting around to reviewing it! Anyway, Caramel Rose is a beautiful and very natural looking flush of color for me, both on my cheeks and on my lips. I'm very pale but with warm undertones and auburn hair, so pink products like BeneTint look scary and freakish on me. Not Caramel Rose, it just gives me that healthy appearance like I just stepped in from a brisk walk from the cold winter forest trail.

I know the usual makeup application process is to use creams before powders, but I get excellent results from applying this over my face powder as a final step. The weartime is fabulous for my dry skin on my cheeks, but oilier complexions may have a bit less.

The only reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5 is that it doesn't truly last on the lips like a "stain" as it is described. It's more like the weartime of a moist yet matte lipstick, and it feels fairly dry. I get the best lip results if I begin with very smooth lips, a pre-treatment of a tiny bit of Aquaphor ointment rubbed in until absorbed, and then I apply the Caramel Rose to my lips. Afterwards, either immediately or within the first hour or so, I do like to apply a layer of lip balm for comfort (usually Nivea). This is definitely a MLBB shade for me, but I do have surprisingly pigmented lips for as pale as my skin is.

Although I can't really say if Caramel Rose would be well-suited for someone with a cool-toned complexion, I definitely think this shade will look gorgeous in a healthy and natural way on anyone with a warm complexion whether they're pale like me or darker up to a level 4 complexion.

A cool brownish pink but not in the Bobbi Brown territory brown which all incline to be muddy. This is rosier and much more natural on my very pigmented lips. I have been using this for years as an all over lip colour with a balm over it. So incredibly natural but brightens me up. This company is awesome and they deserve more of the spotlight.